Emotional Trauma
by Yugi Muuto
Summary: Sorry all I can say is that this has got Tea and Yugi romance in it...enjoy! Please be gentle its my first post


The Way I feel about you  
  
  
  
Sunrise…a dazed Yugi slams his hand down on his alarm clock and rolls quite literally out of bed. Alarmed by the noise, Grandpa makes his way through the shop to Yugi's bedroom, and sees him lying in a heap on the floor.  
  
"Ah good morning Yugi," said the old man as he lifted the cover, revealing Yugi's head.  
  
"Morning Grandpa," replied Yugi, though still somewhat dazed from the fall. His tone leapt as he remembered something important "Any mail today?"  
  
"None today"  
  
"Oh…" Yugi's head dropped. It had been a week since Joey said he was leaving for America, and he still hadn't received any word from him since he got there.  
  
"Don't worry Yugi, I'm sure you'll hear from him soon," mentioned Grandpa, knowing exactly what Yugi was thinking… "And besides you're going out with Tristan and Bakura today aren't you?"  
  
Yugi suddenly leapt to his feet, though still covered in his duvet. He'd forgotten all about that…he was supposed to be meeting them at the mall at 10.  
  
"What time is it?" he said with a tone of urgency  
  
"Its about 8.30," replied Muto senior, "Don't worry you've got plenty of time…."  
  
"I hope you're right…" replied Yugi  
  
Bakura was waiting outside the mall at about 9.45-ish, pacing up and down in front of the colossal shopping centre. He was thinking a lot about his millennium item…and more to the point, his Yami. Ever since he had been presented with his Millennium Ring he had been tortured and ridiculed by his 'other being', and there was nothing he could do about it. All he wanted was to be rid of this nemesis and get on with his life, but he could never be sure when his Yami would take control of his mind and body. Of course Yami Bakura could sense this…  
  
/Hey don't think I like this situation any more than you do/  
  
/I didn't say that/  
  
/Shut Up! Don't argue/  
  
/What? I didn't say anything/  
  
/Quiet…someone's coming/  
  
"Hey Bakura-San!", shouted Tristan as he reached the scene, " 'sup man?"  
  
"Hi Tristan," replied Bakura, putting his hand in the air for a hi-five. The two slapped palms like brothers, and started walking into the lobby of the mall.  
  
"Have you seen Yugi yet?" asked Tristan. Bakura just shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Not since last week at the end of term," he replied sheepishly, "What do you think's keeping him? It's already (looking down at his watch) 10.05"  
  
"I'm sure it's nothin' Bakura," ended Tristan.  
  
Just then they saw a blur of black rushing towards them…it was Yugi. His face was red with exhaustion, and it looked like he was about to collapse. His hair was brushed up untidily, and he was swaying from side to side.  
  
"What's up Yugi?" questioned Bakura, "Looks like you're gonna faint"  
  
"Nothing…. It's nothing…I'm just glad I made it before you two left!"  
  
"Nah…we couldn't have gone without you Yuug…we don't know our way around the place without you anyway!"  
  
The three chuckled to each other, and Tristan gave Yugi a friendly slap on the back. Unfortunately Yugi landed face first on the floor…he was already off-balance when he finally arrived at the mall, at that slap just about finished him off. He lay on the floor, spluttering in the dust.  
  
"Err…sorry Yuug!" apologised Tristan, " Guess I don't know my own strength…"  
  
Yugi got up and dusted himself off. "It's OK Tristan…next time do it to Bakura," he muttered under his breath.  
  
The trio wandered between shops, mainly just window shopping…until they saw a group of girls walking towards them. The group was headed by Miho, who was just laughing and talking to one of the people behind her…obviously seeing Miho was enough to send Tristan into a full-scale frenzy.  
  
"Hey Miho-Chan!" he shouted out, running towards her.  
  
"What are you doing here, Tristan?" asked Miho, somewhat suspiciously, as she walked towards him. Tristan rushed over to her, holding onto her hips and hugging her closer to him.  
  
"I'm just out with Yugi and Bakura…wanna come with us?" he asked excitedly, but then suddenly lowering his tone to a more manly level. Miho noticed this and couldn't stop giggling. "Sure I'd love to…hey where's Tea?  
  
"Tea?" asked Bakura, "Yugi didn't you say you were going to phone her?"  
  
"I did," replied Yugi, "I phoned her house three times this morning. Maybe she just wasn't up early enough…she told me her parents weren't going to be at her house so I guess that would explain why no-one else answered."  
  
"Well do you think we should go over and ask her now?" suggested Miho; her voice sounding slightly irritated. She didn't just want to be alone by herself in a group of 3 boys, and she was damned if that was going to happen.  
  
"Yeah you're right," answered Tristan "You're always right Miho-Chan!"  
  
Tristan hugged Miho again, and the gang left in the direction of Tea's house. They were about 20 yards away when they heard giggling from the top window of her house.  
  
"Hey did you guys hear that?" asked Bakura, as they approached the porch  
  
"Yeah…I guess it was Tea's parents at it…maybe we stumbled on something a little unexpected," responded Miho. The group began to laugh quietly at the thought, while Yugi rang the doorbell.  
  
"But wait a second…Yugi didn't you say that Tea's parents were away for a while?" noted Bakura, as the door swung inwardly open…and there stood Joey wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts and a white dressing gown!  
  
Tristan immediately fainted into Miho's arms (wuss), Bakura shielded his face…and Yugi just stood rigid in shock.  
  
"J-J-Joey!!," he stuttered, "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you said you were in America!"  
  
"Yugi!" gulped Joey, trying to think of an excuse, "Well I was, but then…"  
  
"Joey who is it?" came a voice from upstairs, shortly followed by footsteps walking towards the staircase. Yugi knew it was Tea. Shortly afterwards she appeared at the top of the staircase, wearing nothing over the top half of her body, and the rest covered by a towel.  
  
"Yugi!" she screamed, "This isn't what you think…."  
  
Yugi just went wide eyed, stared down at the ground and started running away down the street, tears streaming from his eyes. Tea quickly covered herself with a baggy coat and followed suit, hurrying towards Yugi as he raced towards the game shop at the end of the road.  
  
"Yugi…I'm so sorry!" she screamed, following the heartbroken young man in front of her.  
  
  
  
It doesn't matter now, Yugi thought to himself. Nothing matters anymore. How could they do this to me? What did I do to deserve this? He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the divot in the road ahead of him. For the second time that day he ended up face first in the dust, tears stinging his glinting blue eyes. Dust gathered on his eyelids as he whimpered in pain…both emotional and physical. He tried to bite his bottom lip and stop crying, but it was no use. How could they do this to him? His two best friends, one he treated as his brother and companion, and the other his heart's desire that he'd known since childhood. And now he felt rejected by them…  
  
He noticed a shadow looming over him. He looked up into the light and could just make out Tea's form through his dust-stained eyes  
  
"Yugi…I don't know what to say…"she stuttered, tears welling in her eyes, on the verge of an emotional breakdown.  
  
Yugi said nothing, and only lowered his head back down onto the cold concrete road where he lay. He felt so used…so worthless. Again his eyes swelled up, his throat hoarse from crying…he didn't want to be here…not now…not ever. Finally, he grated his teeth together, choked, and said  
  
"Why Tea…. How could you (cough) do this to me?" Again he slumped his head back on the gravel, "How…why?"  
  
Tea finally broke down, and slumped on her knees by Yugi's side.  
  
"I was stupid," she confessed "I didn't want to hurt you Yugi…I mean it"  
  
Yugi struggled to stand, stumbling once or twice, but eventually limping to his feet. His hair was a mess, his cheeks were red, glistening with teardrops running down them, and his mouth was covered in grit. He spluttered and coughed, and eventually cleared his throat. Tea glanced up at him.  
  
"I loved you once Tea…" he said through clenched fists, " but how can I forgive you…why now…why did you have to do this to me?". He started to run, but fell back to the floor after about two yards. Now he was really beginning to feel the pain. Tea again rushed over to him, but when she attempted to help him up Yugi withdrew his hand. He coughed violently.  
  
"Don't (cough) touch me!" he said weakly, looking up at her. He could see how much this was killing her…in a way he felt satisfied by it. She needed to feel the same pain and suffering that he did. But then he noticed another thing…the ground was shaking. He looked back up at Tea, but she had her head buried in her hands. Then he saw it… looking straight past Tea he saw the huge lorry a few metres behind them. In a final burst of strength he dived straight at Tea, knocking her into the sidewalk inches away from the truck as it drove straight on.  
  
* * *  
  
Tea lifted her head…she felt a dull pain in her stomach. She looked around, sitting on the ground, but she couldn't find Yugi…  
  
"Yugi, where are you!" she screamed from the pavement. She slowly picked herself up and rapidly searched from side to side. Then she saw the figure heaped in the middle of the road. She ran over to it…Yugi was slumped with his arms outstretched, the tears still beading down his face…but his eyes were empty of life. Bending down she picked up one of his outstretched hands, gripping it with all her strength, before she let it drop to the roadside. She burst into tears.  
  
"How could I do this to my best friend in the entire world?" she yelled at herself as she hung loosely over Yugi's inanimate body. There was nothing in the world that could bring him back now…her tears dripped from her face into the dusty concrete. Nobody could comfort her now…again she held Yugi's hand and gripped it with all her might…  
  
"I can't let go," she whimpered to herself under her breath, "I won't! He saved me… but there was nothing I could do to save him…  
  
She fell to the floor in a fit of tears and moans. She cursed herself for even being alive… looking into his eyes she could see that there was no way of retrieving her much-loved and respected friend. She couldn't believe that Yugi was actually gone…  
  
When Bakura, Tristan, Miho and Joey finally arrived on the scene there was barely anything left of the event…just a few blood stains smeared on the curb, and a long line of blood seeping into the gutter. Tea had taken Yugi to the hospital, pretending that she still thought he was alive. Yet her hopes were dashed when he was confirmed dead. Tea left the hospital before an inquest began into how Yugi had…passed away.  
  
  
  
It was now sunset…Tea noticed how the buildings cast long shadows along the road as she walked herself home. She hadn't said anything since the event earlier. Her head was hung low, and she decided not to walk back home, but to go for a walk around the block to clear her head.  
  
Back inside the hospital, Yugi's millennium puzzle began to glow, draping from the neck of his serene, glittering-cheeked head. Slowly, his body began to move, and his eyes opened.  
  
Tea had been round the same block almost three times now…it was getting very late. She needed to think things through before she decided to return to her friends…how could they ever accept her back after what she'd done? She, like Yugi had, felt useless and depressed. A single tear trickled longingly down her cheek as she looked up into the twilight sky…  
  
"Yugi…" she whispered. She noticed the first star shining in the sky…it reminded her of the glint in Yugi's eyes when they'd played as youngsters…always in mischief. She silently giggled to herself in her mind. She remembered how they'd set Tristan up for his date with Miho, and how they tricked Bakura into thinking he was being chased by the police…happy times. Then she looked back down again, at her feet…and it wasn't until then that she realised the aching pain she needed…for company…and for love. She knew that Yugi felt deeply for her…she'd known that for a long time, but she never had the courage to tell him how she truly felt…and it wasn't until today that she realised how much he truly loved her. He loved her enough to give up his life for her. She shed another tear…and again whispered to herself:  
  
"I'll never forget you Yugi"  
  
She began to start walking again, but stopped when she heard a voice from far behind her.  
  
"Tea!"  
  
She turned around to see Bakura chasing after her. He finally stopped in front of her, with a puzzled look on his face.  
  
"Where's Yugi? I thought you were chasing after him…"  
  
Tea simply collapsed into Bakura's arms, sending him reeling backwards. She was sobbing…inconsolably so.  
  
"Tea…Tea what's wrong? Asked Bakura. Tea simply threw herself deeper into his arms, crying into his chest.  
  
"Hey…Bakura!"  
  
Tea heard another voice, and looked around to see Tristan, Miho…and lastly Joey, running towards her.  
  
"Bakura what happened?" questioned Tristan. Bakura just shook his head.  
  
"I have no idea, but as soon as I saw her she started crying." He replied  
  
"Must be your face again,"said Miho jokingly  
  
"This isn't funny!" yelled Tristan  
  
"Tea, are you ok? Asked Joey, extending his arm out to her. She swept it away with one of her free hands.  
  
"Don't touch me Joey Wheeler!" she screamed defiantly, and then fell back into Bakura's arms, crying uncontrollably again.  
  
"Its ok, its ok…"whispered Bakura, holding Tea by the shoulders, "Now can you tell us what happened to Yugi?"  
  
Tea hesitated slightly before she left Bakura's arms, and stood beside them, her entire body shaking.  
  
"He-he-he's gone…He's dead!" she yelled, before falling to her knees on the pavement, crying softly to herself. Everyone fell silent for a moment…it was very hard to describe the tension flowing between them.  
  
"What do you mean he's just gone?" asked Joey, "Just like that…my best buddy's gone!"  
  
He stood much like Tea had, quavering with guilt.  
  
"It's all my fault!" he screamed," All I ever wanted was to be loved…my Dad didn't wanna pay for my trip, and he just threw me outta the house!"  
  
Everyone turned to look at Joey…he was talking through frequent sobs; his eyelids were glistening in the dying sunlight.  
  
"All my hopes were just completely knocked out of me…I didn't know where to go, what to do…I didn't know anything anymore!"  
  
He paused.  
  
"I tried to make it to Yugi's place, but the game shop was already closed up for the night…so I figured the only thing I could do next was to go to Tea's…she pitched me up. I really didn't wanna go back to my Dad…you know what he's like."  
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
"Well…Tea allowed me to stay with her for a while. I guess we got pretty close…but its not what you think it is! Cause we spent so long with each other we had a lotta time to talk…she told me a lot about how she felt about Yugi…"  
  
Tea stopped crying, and looked back up at Joey. She got back to her feet  
  
"I guess the intensity of emotions between us kinda got a little outta hand…"  
  
"What d'ya mean Joe'?" asked Tristan  
  
Joey closed his eyes and screamed out loud.  
  
"I never meant for this to happen, I swear! I really didn't wanna cause all this trouble"  
  
"Joey it's ok," sympathised Bakura, but Joey had already broken under the strain.  
  
"How could I do this…to my friend, my best friend!"  
  
Tristan sighed, but deep down he knew that Joey didn't mean to put him down.  
  
Looking down at the floor, Joey felt like a complete disgrace…a tear fell from his cheek to the floor…and then he noticed a shadow being thrown over the group.  
  
"Nobody's Perfect"  
  
The entire group turned towards the shadow…it was Yugi!  
  
"Yugi?" cried Tea in disbelief  
  
Yugi just walked towards Joey.  
  
"Look Yugi I'm so sorry for what I did I swear I'll make it…."  
  
Yugi merely held his hand out to Joey.  
  
Joey stared down at the hand…and then at Yugi  
  
"You…you forgive me!?"  
  
Yugi gestured at his hand. Joey held out his trembling hands. Yugi kept a tight grip on Joey's hand, shook it firmly and kept him stable.  
  
"Yugi…I don't know what to say…"  
  
Yugi put a finger to Joey's lips and ruffled his hair.  
  
"Hey don't worry about it…I know you didn't mean it," he said forgivingly  
  
"That means a lot to me Yuug…thanks," responded Joey, hugging Yugi close to him. He was so glad that Yugi wasn't mad at him anymore…it would've killed him to br rejected by the one of the only people he cared for in the world.  
  
Eventually Joey let go, and Yugi walked towards Tea.  
  
"Yugi…I…" Tea stopped. She had no idea how to put across how sorry she was…all she did was stare down at the floor. Suddenly she felt a hand brushing her hair away from her eyes…and caressing her soft skin. She raised her head to see Yugi staring up at her with a look of kindness on his face.  
  
Everyone else just stood in awe as Yugi stroked Tea's face lovingly, tears dripping from her eyes through his hands, running his fingers through her hair. Yet nobody said anything about it…not even Joey… he knew that his friend meant more to him than anyone else in the whole world…and he was happiest when his friend was happy. If this was what mattered to him, he had no right to get in the way.  
  
He held his head up high…this was what Yugi had wanted all his life. Joey had always tried to find a way to support him and show how much he cared for him…and now was that time.  
  
"We've been through a lot together Tea," said Yugi. Tea just nodded. Yet again she had no idea what to say…but whatever it was she wasn't going to let this chance slip…but how could she be sure how Yugi felt? After the stunt she pulled today how could she be sure of anything when she was around Yugi? But that was why she had longed for Yugi in the first place. He was the most mysterious person she had ever known in her life…and that was why she wanted him. She wanted him more than anything in her life…but it wasn't until now that she realised how she truly felt for him. But did he feel the same way? There was only one way to find out.  
  
"Yugi, listen…I have something to…" She was cut short. Yugi already had his lips around her…it was the sweetest kiss she had tasted for a long time…and she knew why…because it had come from the heart. It seemed to last an age, neither of them willing to let go of each other from their entwining grip. Yugi finally released his hold over her. He looked more confident, more courageous, and even taller now than he had ever done before…but this wasn't Yami…Yugi had the heart of a true warrior all along…it just needed to be recognised. He stood back, still clasping Tea's hands in his, and finally let go. Then he flashed her a smile like she'd never seen before…  
  
"I knew you felt the same way!" he grinned, and Tea ran into his arms. Yugi was finally the man she had hoped he'd be…and all that she needed.  
  
THE END 


End file.
